DEFENCE

Argentina: Military Alliances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) nature and (b) extent of military links with the Government of Argentina are.

Nick Harvey: The Defence section in the British embassy in Buenos Aires liaises with Argentine defence officials at appropriate levels in support of UK interests. There is no current bi-lateral defence activity.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force personnel there were in (i) May 2010 and (ii) December 2011; and how many he expects there will be in the armed forces of (A) the UK and (B) other NATO member states in May 2015.

Andrew Robathan: The requested information, where available, is presented in the following table:
	
		
			 Full-time UK armed forces strength by service 
			  1 May 2010 1 December 2011 
			 Naval service 39,230 36,960 
			 Army 113,150 110,460 
			 RAF 44,380 41,580 
			 Notes: 1. Full-time UK armed forces comprises all UK regular forces, Gurkhas and all full-time reserve service personnel. 2. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. 
		
	
	As was made clear in the announcement on the strategic defence and security review, the Royal Navy will decrease to a total of some 30,000, the Army to some 95,000 and the RAF to some 33,000 by 2015.
	We do not hold comprehensive information on the armed forces of NATO member states on a comparable basis.

Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Safety Improvement Notice issued on 26 May 2010 by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator was formally closed; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the Safety Improvement Notice and the letter notifying closure of the Notice.

Peter Luff: The Safety Improvement Notice was closed by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) on 24 June 2011 and replaced by two targeted Safety Directions. Copies of both the Safety Improvement Notice, and the closure letter (incorporating the Safety Directions) have been placed in the Library of the House. I am withholding small sections of the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Departmental Manpower

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many university graduates the armed forces have recruited since the end of the 2010-11 academic year.

Andrew Robathan: Records indicate that between August 2011 and 18 January 2012, 623 graduates have entered the armed forces.

Departmental Manpower

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which posts have been filled or created within his Department to oversee work on the military covenant in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 25 January 2012
	The armed forces covenant is a high priority for the Government, and this is reflected in the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s business plan. Resources to take forward work on the covenant have been made available through the reallocation of existing duties across MOD head office and the services. Overseeing this work is the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Training).

Ex-servicemen: Education

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what funding was provided by his Department to service leavers studying for (a) a first full level 3 or (b) a first higher education qualification free from tuition fees in each of the last four financial years;
	(2)  how many service leavers studied for (a) a first full level 3 or (b) a first higher education qualification free from tuition fees in each of the last four financial years.

Andrew Robathan: The MOD promotes lifelong learning among members of the armed forces, and this is encouraged through the Learning Credits schemes. The Enhanced Learning Credit scheme is designed to complement the Standard Learning Credits scheme by providing larger scale help to personnel who qualify, with a single payment of £1,000 or £2,000 (dependent upon length of service) in each of a maximum of three separate financial years, to help pay towards the cost of higher-level learning. It remains available for up to 10 years after discharge.
	The opportunity to undertake full time higher education free from tuition fees was introduced in July 2008, and is widely advertised and briefed to all eligible service leavers. Fewer than five (rounded) service leavers entered full time education in 2010 at a cost to the MOD of some £420. About 10 (rounded) service leavers entered full time education in September 2011 at a cost to the MOD of some £21,000.

Public Sector: Pay

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on steps to mitigate the effects of changes made to public sector pay in the autumn statement.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 5 December 2011
	The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), holds regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), on a wide range of issues, including in relation to the autumn statement.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electricity Generation

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from (a) industry and (b) the National Grid on the use of STOR aggregators.

Charles Hendry: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), received a letter from the Canterbury Club in November 2011, setting out their assessment of the role of aggregators in Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR), which is procured by National Grid in its role as electricity system operator. DECC officials also received the Canterbury Club's full report ‘Money for Nothing, A Review of National Grid's contracting criteria’.
	In responding to the Canterbury Club, the Secretary of State received advice from National Grid on the contracts and monitoring processes in place to ensure STOR contracts can be delivered upon and the penalties if they are not.
	DECC officials have also met with aggregators during discussions on electricity market reform. The participation of aggregators in STOR was discussed at some of those meetings.

Energy: Meters

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the (a) average and (b) maximum premium being paid by customers using pre-payment meters for (i) gas and (ii) electricity compared to customers paying by direct debit.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows provisional estimates for 2011 energy bills based on data published in DECC's Quarterly Energy Prices:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/publications/prices/prices.aspx
	
		
			 £ 
			   Pre-payment meters (PPM) Direct debit (DD) Difference (PPM—average DD) 
			 Electricity Average 483 436 47 
			  Maximum 524 — 88 
			 Gas Average 743 700 43 
			  Maximum 782 — 82 
			 Total Average 1,226 1,136 90 
			  Maximum 1,306 — 170 
			 Note: Bills are based on annual electricity consumption of 3,300 kWh and annual gas consumption of 18,000 kWh.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what measures are in place to monitor the costs passed on to consumers of the smart meter roll-out.

Charles Hendry: The Government have published projections of costs and benefits to consumers of smart meter roll-out in an impact assessment, which was most recently updated in August 2011. The impact assessment identified a net benefit of £7.3 billion to the UK, with overall costs of £11.3 billion and benefits of £18.6 billion. This document will continue to be updated as understanding in these areas is developed.
	Costs and benefits will continue to be monitored throughout roll-out. Further detail on the process for doing this will be set out in the benefits and evaluation plan, due to be published in spring 2012.

Nuclear Power Stations

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects new nuclear power stations to be operational.

Charles Hendry: It is up to energy companies to construct, operate and decommission new nuclear power stations. Government will facilitate investment to new nuclear by removing unnecessary obstacles. Energy companies have set out plans to build up to 16 GW of new nuclear power by 2025 and EDF have submitted a planning application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission for Hinkley Point with an indicative timetable for the first reactor to be operational from 2019.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on his decision to reduce the feed-in tariff for solar PV.

Christopher Huhne: Ministers and officials meet regularly with a range of stakeholders from the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry. Details of meetings between DECC Ministers and external organisations are published quarterly on the DECC website.
	The recent consultation on feed-in tariffs for solar PV closed on 23 December 2011. Over 2,300 responses were received and are being analysed prior to the publication of a full Government response to the consultation in the coming weeks.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage energy companies to ensure cancer patients have access to the warm home discount scheme.

Gregory Barker: We have worked closely on the warm home discount scheme with energy companies and organisations including those representing cancer patients. I am pleased that a number of suppliers are now working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support under the scheme to provide support to cancer patients in fuel poverty. I fully support these initiatives.

Wind Power

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to publish individual constraint payments made to wind farm companies via the balancing mechanism.

Charles Hendry: Details of individual constraint payments made to wind farms via the balancing mechanism are already published by Elexon, an independent subsidiary of National Grid which handles the payments. These show that less than 10% of total constraint payments made in 2011 were to wind farms.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on how many occasions he visited (a) operas, (b) museums and (c) London theatres on (i) official business and (ii) as an official guest in 2011.

Edward Vaizey: In 2011 the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), visited seven operas, 10 museums and five London theatres on official business or as an official guest.

Broadband

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has had discussions with Telford and Wrekin council on improving broadband services in their area; and what response was provided to any such discussions.

Edward Vaizey: Following discussions with Broadband Delivery UK, the local broadband plan covering Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin has been approved and the councils are working together on the implementation of the plan.

Copyright: Internet

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of the proposed US legislation, the (a) Stop Online Piracy Act and (b) Protect IP Act on free expression and circulation of ideas within British culture and media;
	(2)  what (a) discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues and (b) representations he has made to the US Government on the proposed US legislation, the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has made no assessment or received representations on the effect on the UK of measures contained in the US Stop Piracy Online Act.

Departmental Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department engaged in delivering (a) front line and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: This Department employs 487 full-time equivalent staff who through flexible resourcing deliver both back-office and front line services according to business need.

Football

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent progress he has made on reforming football governance.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) and I are continuing to meet with the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League collectively to hear their progress on the reforms Government have called for in their response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee football governance inquiry. The football authorities have until the end of February before they need to go public with their proposals.

Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport who in his Department is responsible for identifying and advising him on potential problems with the provision of library services by local authorities, including whether a library authority may be in breach of its statutory duties under the Libraries Act 1964.

Edward Vaizey: Public library services provided across England are monitored by this Department's officials who engage directly with library authorities. They also monitor correspondence sent to the Department, monitor websites and press articles, and engage in meaningful discussion with organisations that have current information about public library service provision. These include Arts Council England, the Society of Chief Librarians and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether his Department has set any criteria for intervention in a local library authority;
	(2)  whether it is his policy to intervene in local authorities where a substantial programme of library closures is undertaken without (a) an adequate assessment of local needs and (b) a strategic libraries plan.

Edward Vaizey: I endorse the analysis and approach adopted by the inquiry held in 2009 into the proposed closure of libraries by Wirral metropolitan borough council. When authorities consider reorganising library services it is important that they have assessed the local needs of their communities and have prepared a strategic plan for their library services. Library authorities must provide a service which best meets local needs within available resources. Where there is evidence that this may not be happening, dialogue will commence with the local authority concerned. Use of statutory powers, including those regarding intervention, will be exercised on a case by case basis only when all other avenues have been exhausted.

Radio: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects Radio Cymru and Radio Wales to be available on digital radio to listeners in North Wales.

Edward Vaizey: The local multiplex licence for North Wales was awarded by Ofcom to Muxco Wales Ltd in June 2008. However, the launch of the multiplex, which would provide the necessary DAB platform for Radio Cymru and Radio Wales, has been delayed. The Government and Ofcom are working with Muxco to ensure that the North Wales multiplex launches as soon as is practicable.

Wedgwood Museum

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) discussions and (b) meetings he has had with ministerial colleagues on the Wedgwood Museum.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not had any discussions or meetings with ministerial colleagues on the Wedgwood Museum. In my capacity as Minister for Culture, I met with a number of interested parliamentarians about the Wedgwood Museum, including: a meeting with Lord Howarth of Newport and the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South on 24 October 2011; and a meeting with Baroness Rawlings, Lord Howarth of Newport, Lord Clancarty and the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South on 20 December 2011.
	I addressed Parliament in an Ordinary Debate about the future of the Wedgwood Museum in Westminster Central Hall on 19 October 2010 and Baroness Rawlings, the Department's Lords spokesperson, answered an oral parliamentary question on the issue on 29 November 2010 in the House of Lords. Departmental officials have had discussions with officials at the Department for Work and Pensions, the Pension Protection Fund, the Attorney General's Office and the Charity Commission about the Wedgwood Museum.
	I will continue to hold meetings with interested parties until this issue is resolved.

TRANSPORT

Buses: Testing

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the MOT failure rate was for bus and coach operators in Vehicle and Operator Services Agency area 3, including (a) Go North East, (b) Stagecoach Cumbria, (c) Stagecoach North East, (d) Snaiths Coaches, (e) Scarlet Band Motor Services, (f) Redby Travel, (g) Kingsley Coaches, (h) Henry Cooper, (i) First Choice Travel, (j) Classic Coaches, (k) Arriva North East and (l) A-Line Coaches in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: MOT failure results are not available by operator as the data is commercially in-confidence.
	Vehicle and Operator Services Agency's North East Area MOT results for bus and coach operators (PSVs) are displayed in the following table:
	
		
			 Test result 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Pass 2,838 2,863 3,068 3,150 3,178 
			 Fail 648 553 542 455 455 
			 PRS 477 455 390 360 300 
			 Prohibitions 11 21 19 16 15 
			 Total tests 3,974 3,892 4,019 3,981 3,948 
			 Note: PRS results are Pass after Rectification at Station and represent minor defects such as loose screws/bolts, bulbs out etc. that could be repaired or replaced safely at the test site with little difficulty. They are then tested again for that defect alone after the repair on the same day and a pass certificate is issued.

Buses: Testing

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency last audited each bus and coach operator in area 3, including (a) Go North East, (b) Stagecoach Cumbria, (c) Stagecoach North East, (d) Snaiths Coaches, (e) Scarlet Band Motor Services, (f) Redby Travel, (g) Kingsley Coaches, (h) Henry Cooper, (i) First Choice Travel, (j) Classic Coaches, (k) Arriva North East and (l) A-line Coaches.

Michael Penning: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency carries out visits to operator premises to check their systems for maintaining vehicle conditions and compliance with other measures (e.g. drivers’ hours) which will include checking vehicles and records.
	Information on the visits by an individual operator is commercially in-confidence.
	The total number of vehicles inspected at operator visits in VOSA's North East area are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2006-07 310 
			 2007-08 277 
			 2008-09 224 
			 2009-10 236 
			 2010-11 72

Driving: Licensing

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if she will estimate the length of time required to update (a) driving licences and (b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency records when recording a change in medical circumstances;
	(2)  whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sets targets in respect of the return of driving licences submitted as a consequence of changed medical circumstances;
	(3)  what representations she has received on the amount of time the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency holds driving licences submitted as a consequence of changed medical circumstances.

Michael Penning: Changes in medical circumstances notified to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) require investigations to establish if the individual is fit to drive. Once these are completed a licence is either issued straight away, or the individual is informed that it has been refused or revoked. Records are updated as soon as licensing decisions are made. Where there is a change in medical circumstances the DVLA currently responds to 87% of its cases within 71 days. Just under half are dealt with within 14 days. Medical cases are often complex and require external specialists to provide information which can have an impact on response times.
	The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has set targets for consideration of notifications of changed medical circumstances. These are:
	1. to complete 88% of medical applications, where sufficient medical information is provided with the initial application, within 15 days; and
	2. to complete 85% of medical applications, where further information is required, within 90 days.
	In 2011, DVLA exceeded both targets. Where sufficient medical information was provided with the original application, 97% of driving licences were returned within 15 days. Where further medical inquiries were needed 90% of applications were returned within 90 working days.
	In 2011, the DVLA received 322 representations about the time taken to update the driving licence when medical inquiries were required.

Ports

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to support the regeneration or expansion of small existing or unused ports; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The Government encourages sustainable port development that can contribute to long-term economic growth and prosperity locally, regionally and nationally.

Railways: Cotswold Hills

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether she plans to propose revised specifications for the Cotswold line franchise to increase the frequency of trains from Great Malvern to London;
	(2)  what additional services she plans to specify in the new North Cotswold line franchise invitation to tender;
	(3)  when she plans to publish an invitation to tender for the North Cotswold line franchise from 2013.

Theresa Villiers: The Department is currently running public consultation on the specification for the new Great Western franchise which includes the North Cotswold line. This can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-36/
	The new franchise is expected to start in spring 2013.

Travel: Trains

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on the frequency with which the format of passenger announcements on trains and in stations is reviewed.

Theresa Villiers: The Department does not hold this information as the format of passenger announcements is a matter for train and station operators.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Charities: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department provided to (a) Action on Addiction, (b) Adoption UK, (c) the Adoption and Fostering Information Line, (d) the Child Bereavement Charity, (e) Well Child and (f) each of East Anglia's children’s hospices in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 19 January 2012
	No monies have been paid to these organisations during the current or previous financial year.

Crisis at Christmas

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department provided to Crisis in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Grant Shapps: The following table shows the total allocations of funding provided to Crisis in each of the last five years of which the majority was allocated as homelessness grant (revenue).
	
		
			  Crisis (£) 
			 2007-08 (Capital) 155,000 
			 2008-09 0 
			 2009-10 150,000 
			 2010-11 2,350,000 
			 2011-12 4,000,000

Departmental Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not have staff engaging in frontline service delivery; rather its role is strategic and focused on policy development and implementation.
	As of 31 December 2011, the Department for Communities and Local Government had 1,917 staff with a full-time equivalent of 1,859 under Office for National Statistics definitions of employment. However, this includes 40 full-time equivalent staff on paid leave of absence, primarily on maternity leave.
	Excluding the staff on paid leave of absence, 1,424 full- time equivalent staff were engaged in policy development and implementation, and the remaining 396 full-time equivalent staff were engaged in support services.

Domestic Waste

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many councils have bid for specific funding to enable them to collect household waste weekly; and how many such councils currently have collection periods longer than a week;
	(2)  when he expects to make an announcement about the allocation of funding to individual councils in respect of weekly bin collections.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 January 2012, Official Report, column 811W, to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mary Creagh).

Homelessness

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people sleeping rough in England in each month since June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: Information on the number of people sleeping rough in England is collected by the Department for Communities and Local Government on a yearly basis.
	The number of people sleeping rough in England can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/roughsleepingcounts/
	The coalition Government have acted decisively to introduce a more accurate assessment of rough sleeping levels so that there is clear information in all areas, to inform service provision and action to address the problem. The previous Government's approach to assessing rough sleeping did not capture the full extent of the problem across the country.

Housing Benefit

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the potential number of people affected by the proposed limits to housing benefit for people who under-occupy their property.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	This information, along with a regional breakdown, is contained in the equality impact assessment available on the DWP website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011.pdf

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the revenue generated from empty property rates came from public sector organisations in the last year for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: This information is not held centrally.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to him on 26 January 2011, Official Report, column 2MC, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) on 8 February 2011, Official Report, column 178W.

Social Rented Housing

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of social rated housing which is illegally sub-let; and how that cost is calculated.

Grant Shapps: The National Fraud Authority estimates that housing tenancy fraud in England costs around £900 million a year.
	This figure is based on the Audit Commission's estimates that it costs an average of £18,000 per year to house a family or individual in temporary housing and that 50,000 properties are unlawfully occupied in England (which would otherwise be available for occupation).
	Recent research by housing fraud specialists HJK Investigations has suggested that the level of such fraud could be far greater.
	Replacing the social homes that are being unlawfully occupied—to house those who have effectively been displaced by tenancy fraudsters—would cost several billion pounds.
	In December 2010, the Government announced funding of £19 million over four years for social landlords to tackle fraud in their stock. We are currently consulting on proposals that would increase the deterrent to tenants considering cheating the system, allow those who do cheat to be detected more easily and punished more severely and encourage social landlords to take a more proactive approach to tackling tenancy fraud.
	These include proposals that would mean social tenants who abuse their tenancies could be subject to criminal sanctions, with a maximum penalty of a £50,000 fine and two years imprisonment; and would allow for any profits made from tenancy fraud to be confiscated and a restitutionary payment to be made to the landlord.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to (a) Centrepoint, (b) Crisis, (c) Skill Force and (d) Shelter in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer  1 9 January 2012
	The following table shows the total allocations of funding allocated to Centrepoint, Crisis, Skill Force and Shelter in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2010-11 2011-12 
			 Centrepoint 0 0 
			 Crisis 2,350,000 4,000,000 
			 Skillforce 0 0 
			 Shelter 3,223,365 2,437,460 
		
	
	This funding was provided to Crisis to help single homeless people access stable accommodation in the private rented sector and for Shelter to operate the National Homelessness Advice Service (a partnership between Shelter and Citizens Advice) and debt advice for the Home Owners Mortgage Support Scheme.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department provided to (a) The Art Room, (b) the National Portrait Gallery, (c) Mountain Rescue England, (d) the English Schools Swimming Association, (e) the Scout Association and (f) Missing Links UK in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 19 January 2012
	No payments have been made to these organisations during 2010-11 or thus far in 2011-12.

CABINET OFFICE

Challenge Network

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much funding his Department provided to The Challenge Network in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Challenge Network is one of the Cabinet Office's partners for delivery of the National Citizen Service. In 2010-11 the Cabinet Office provided grant funds of £1,236,000 to The Challenge Network and has current grant awards for 2011-12 with The Challenge Network up to the total of £7,017,702.

International Law: Cybercrime

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent (a) multilateral and (b) bilateral discussions he has had with his (i) international and (ii) European counterparts on establishing international law in the area of cyber security; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: In May 2011 the UK ratified the Council of Europe's Budapest Cybercrime Convention which is the main international treaty relating to cyber crime and provides a clear legislative and procedural framework for international co-operation. The UK, as the current chair of the Council of Europe, is strongly supportive of work by the Council to promote the Convention. The Government have also opted in to the draft EU Directive on attacks on information systems, that seeks to establish commonality of offences, minimum levels of punishment, and mechanisms for enhanced co-operation between member states to tackle these crimes. More generally we have made it clear that Governments should act in cyber space in accordance with existing international law, and the UK Government are taking a leading role in promoting international consensus around what constitutes acceptable behaviour in cyber space. The London Conference on Cyberspace in November 2011 began a process for enhanced dialogue among nations on this important issue. The UK will be represented on a UN Group of Government Experts meeting later this year which will address this question in more detail.

New Businesses: Worcestershire

Robin Walker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new companies were started in (a) Worcester constituency and (b) Worcestershire in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many new companies were started in (a) Worcester constituency and (b) Worcestershire in each of the last three years,
	ONS does not separately produce statistics on the number of company births, however annual statistics on the total number of enterprise births are available from the ONS release on Business Demography at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The most current statistics available are 2010.
	The table contains the latest statistics available, which show the number of enterprise births in Worcester constituency, Worcestershire County and its districts for 2008-2010.
	
		
			 Count of births of new enterprises for 2008-10, Worcester constituency, Worcestershire county and districts 
			  Births 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Worcester Constituency 350 275 310 
			     
			 Worcestershire County 2,435 2,015 2,175 
			 Bromsgrove 470 390 405 
			 Malvern Hills 375 285 340 
			 Redditch. 325 260 270 
			 Worcester 350 275 310 
			 Wychavon 535 465 540 
			 Wyre Forest 380 340 310 
			 Note: The figures have been rounded to the nearest five, to avoid disclosure.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

EU Action

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided any resources for the organisation and hosting of the European Liberal Summit he hosted on 9 January 2012; and what the monetary value was of any such resources.

Nicholas Clegg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 25 January 2012, Official Report, column 271W.

EU Action

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether any officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were present at the European Liberal Summit he hosted on 9 January 2012; and what advice or support he received from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in advance of this event.

Nicholas Clegg: I hosted the meeting of European Liberal Democrats in Government in my capacity as Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
	No officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were present at the meeting. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided briefing for the bilateral meetings held in my capacity as Deputy Prime Minister.

EU Action

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times he has visited Brussels in an official capacity in the last year; and on which such occasions he was accompanied by officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Nicholas Clegg: Details of Ministers' overseas travel are published on a quarterly basis. Information for the period April 2011 to June 2011 can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations-april-june
	Information for the period of July 2011 to December 2011 will be published in due course.
	I have been supported by the UK's Permanent Representative to the European Union and his staff on all visits to Brussels in 2011.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Fraud

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Attorney-General what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on which organisations the Government proposes will in future be responsible for investigating and prosecuting offences relating to serious fraud.

Dominic Grieve: There have been no recent ministerial discussions. The position remains as set out in "The National Crime Agency: A plan for the creation of a national crime-fighting capability" which was published in June 2011.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bill of Rights

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Hugo Swire: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given on 24 January 2012, Official Report, column 150W.

Departmental Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department are engaged in delivering (a) front line and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: Frontline staff are classified as those staff that have a role dealing primarily with the public. On this basis, the NIO does not have any staff engaged in front line services. There are currently 92 members of staff (54%) working within the Business Delivery Group and providing a wide range of corporate services across the Department.

TREASURY

Assets: Egypt

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assets held in the UK have been frozen at the request of the Egyptian Government in the last 12 months; in each such case who the individual was who held the assets; and what the (a) type and (b) value of the assets was.

Mark Hoban: The sanctions in respect of Egypt impose an asset freeze against 19 individuals identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Egyptian state funds. A list of these individuals is available from the Treasury website
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/fin_sanctions_egypt.htm
	and is reproduced here for convenience.
	(1) Ahmed, Abla Mohamed Fawzi Ali
	(2) Al Naggar, Shahinaz Abdel Aziz Abdel Wahab
	(3) El Gammal, Khadiga Mahmoud
	(4) El Gazaerly, Naglaa Abdallah
	(5) Eladli, Habib Ibrahim Habib
	(6) Eldin, Jaylane Shawkat Hosni Galal
	(7) Elmaghraby, Ahmed Alaeldin Amin Abdelmaksoud
	(8) Ezz, Ahmed Abdelaziz
	(9) Fahmy, Hania Mahmoud Abdel Rahman
	(10) Garrana, Amir Mohamed Zohir Mohamed Wahed
	(11) Garrana, Mohamed Zohir Mohamed Wahed
	(12) Hussein, Rachid Mohamed Rachid
	(13) Mubarak, Alaa Mohamed Hosni Elsayed
	(14) Mubarak, Gamal Mohamed Hosni Elsayed
	(15) Mubarak, Mohamed Hosni Elsayed
	(16) Rasekh, Heidy Mahmoud Magdy Hussein
	(17) Sharshar, Elham Sayed Salem
	(18) Thabet, Suzanne Saleh
	(19) Yassin, Khadiga Ahmed Ahmed Kamel
	For reasons of confidentiality, the Treasury is unable to disclose the information requested about individuals and their assets frozen in the UK under the Egypt sanctions regime.

Banking

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will introduce an obligation for banks to serve low and middle income communities; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of communities with only one bank branch; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the economic effect of bank branch closures on their local communities; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what information his Department holds on how many bank branches closed in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Government do not intervene in commercial decisions as to whether, and where, banks maintain branches.
	However, Government believe that it is important for individuals to be able to access an appropriate range of financial products and services, and will continue to monitor the situation.
	The Government do not collect information relating to branch closures.

Bankruptcy

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were made bankrupt as a result of court action initiated by HM Revenue and Customs in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: HMRC only initiates bankruptcy or winding up action where it believes this is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer in respect of a particular debt. HMRC does not take such action lightly.
	Neither HMRC nor any other creditor makes individuals bankrupt. Bankruptcy orders are made by the courts.
	Information on how many people were made bankrupt as a result of court action initiated by HM Revenue and Customs in each month since May 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Sequestrations and bankruptcies following HMRC petitions 
			  Scotland England and Wales NI Total 
			 2010     
			 May 55 229 22 306 
			 June 78 249 26 352 
			 July 74 256 3 333 
			 August 37 229 2 268 
			 September 33 244 34 311 
			 October 41 208 14 263 
			 November 62 236 14 312 
			 December 46 156 11 213 
			      
			 2011     
			 January 57 269 30 356 
			 February 42 177 27 246 
			 March 49 295 32 376 
			 April 37 218 21 276 
			 May 57 200 18 276 
			 June 39 266 26 331 
			 July 44 265 3 312 
			 August 48 294 6 348 
			 September 45 216 44 305 
			 October 40 344 39 423 
			 November 36 282 33 351 
			 December 39 195 23 257 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 959 4,828 427 6,214 
		
	
	The equivalent of bankruptcy in Scotland is sequestration.

Copyright: Internet

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an assessment of the likely cost to the British economy of proposed US legislation, the (a) Stop Online Piracy Act and (b) Protect IP Act.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.
	The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has made no assessment or received representations on the effect on the UK of measures contained in the US Stop Piracy Online act.

EU Law

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the regulations his Department brought into force through (a) primary legislation, (b) secondary legislation and (c) other means originated from proposals by the European Commission in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011.

Chloe Smith: EU provisions that need to be given effect by the Treasury are transposed into UK law via primary and secondary legislation. This information is not aggregated. The following table provides the total number of Treasury primary and secondary provisions brought onto the statute books during 2010 and 2011 and the numbers of such instruments which, in full or in part, give effect to EU requirements.
	
		
			  2010 2011 
			 Primary legislation total 16 5 
			 Primary legislation—of EU origin 3 1 
			    
			 Secondary legislation total 127 143 
			 Secondary legislation—of EU origin 20 24 
		
	
	It is not possible to ascertain whether specific measures originated from Commission proposals, or whether EU requirements were given effect via domestic measures other than primary or secondary legislation, without incurring disproportionate costs.

Executives: Pay

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) salaries and (b) bonuses in the financial sector are in proportion with those of other industries.

Mark Hoban: The Government have been clear that the banks must act responsibly in setting their bonuses. As a result of Government action, remuneration of UK based staff for the four major UK banks was lower in 2010 than in 2009 and lower than it would otherwise have been. The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) revised Remuneration Code ensures bonuses are deferred over at least three years and are linked to the performance of the employee and their firm
	Greater transparency helps shareholders hold boards to account on pay. In addition to FSA rules requiring disclosure of the aggregate pay of risk-taking staff, the Government are consulting on extending executive pay disclosure arrangements made under Project Merlin to eight executives below board level at all large banks from this year onwards.
	Measures which improve the alignment of risk and reward in the financial sector are a key element of the wider strategy on executive pay. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced proposals on 23 January 2012, Official  Report, columns 23-25, covering pay governance and transparency.

Internet: Sales

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised by the Exchequer as result of the sale of (a) CDs, (b) DVDs, (c) e-books and (d) songs purchased by electronic means from the internet in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: No estimate has been made.

National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses

Julian Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had on making the national insurance contribution holiday an opt-out rather than opt-in scheme.

David Gauke: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 31 October 2011, Official Report, column 432W. The barriers to having an opt-out rather than an opt-in scheme remain.

National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses

Julian Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to encourage participation in the National Insurance contribution holiday scheme.

David Gauke: The Government have taken a number of steps to increase the take-up of the national insurance contribution holiday scheme, including:
	HMRC issuing personalised letters to all new businesses registered for a PAYE scheme in the eligible regions since the start of the scheme;
	promoting the scheme through regional press, with agents and other business intermediaries, and on HMRC and businesslink websites; and
	relaxing the rules to allow agents to apply on behalf of a business.

PAYE: Pensions

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential difficulty for employers of implementing simultaneously PAYE real-time information and automatic enrolment into workplace pensions.

David Gauke: holding answer 23 January 2012
	The majority of employers (including small employers) will not implement Real Time Information (RTI) and auto-enrolment into workplace pensions at the same time. Employers will begin submitting PAYE RTI from April 2013 whereas small employers will start to carry out auto-enrolment into workplace pensions in June 2015. Given this staggered approach HMRC does not believe these timings create any particular difficulty for employers.
	The real-time reporting of PAYE information aims to reduce administrative burdens for all employers, including small employers (upon whom the current burden of PAYE falls disproportionately). The aim is to achieve this by integrating employee payment and reporting to HMRC into a single payroll process.
	The Government are committed to simplifying the tax system and reducing the compliance costs for businesses and HMRC is working closely with the Office for Tax Simplification (OTS) to identify simplifications to the tax system, particularly, in relation to small business taxation.

Revenue and Customs: Standards

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) practices for the purpose of ensuring that small businesses do not incur a fine due to the time taken by HMRC to notify them that their returns are late.

David Gauke: HMRC works with employers and their representatives to help them meet statutory obligations. HMRC inform employers of their obligation to file a Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Employer Annual Return by the statutory deadline and the consequences of not doing so.
	HMRC is committed to continually improving its processes and is actively considering a range of initiatives to encourage employers to file their 2011-12 PAYE Employer Annual Return on time. Changes being implemented so far include the retiming of the employers 'Notification to File' to coincide with the end of the tax year and the introduction of a new 'Just File' reminder which will be issued shortly before the 19 May deadline.

Taxation: International Cooperation

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what negotiations with other countries his Department is involved in on (a) double taxation agreements and (b) tax evasion.

David Gauke: Excluding those countries where agreements have since been signed, my officials have held negotiations on double taxation agreements in the last two years with Albania, Austria, Barbados, Brunei, Canada, Croatia, Iceland, India, Liechtenstein, Malawi, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Turkmenistan and the United States; and on tax information exchange agreements with Andorra, Brazil, Costa Rica, the Marshall Islands and the Seychelles.
	There have been no negotiations with other countries on tax evasion since the conclusion of the Tax Co-operation Agreement with Switzerland.

Working Tax Credit

Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on couples with children who work less than 24 hours a week of his proposals for reform of the working tax credit; whether he proposes that such couples will still be entitled to claim working tax credit; and at what rate such a claim would be.

David Gauke: This change makes the system fairer by reducing the disparity in the number of hours which lone parents and couples are obliged to work.
	Couples with children will continue to qualify for working tax credit where at least one member of a couple works at least 16 hours per week and that person is eligible for the working tax credit disability element or is aged 60 or over.
	Couples with children may also qualify for working tax credit if one member of a couple works at least 16 hours a week and a qualifying sickness or disability benefit, for example, incapacity benefit is payable for the other.
	HMRC is not planning to make any transitional arrangements or provide additional services for couples with children who may lose entitlement to working tax credit as a result of the change to the working hours conditions in April 2012.
	At the end of November 2011 HMRC wrote to those who may be affected to advise them of the change and what they need to do if they wish to continue to qualify for working tax credit. Anybody contacting HMRC since then to report a change of circumstances, that will mean they will be affected, has been given the same advice.

HEALTH

Autism: Health Services

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the level of qualification and experience of providers of services to people with autism spectrum conditions;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the role of person-centred services for people with autistic spectrum conditions;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the (a) role and (b) value-for-money of autism-specific services;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS services for people with (a) autism spectrum conditions and (b) learning disabilities.

Paul Burstow: Those providing care—whether national health service, charity or private sector—have a duty to make sure that care is high quality and safe. That is why the Care Quality Commission is currently carrying out a programme of unannounced inspections into all hospitals for people with learning disabilities. This work will inform the Department's wider review.
	This Government are committed to the adult autism strategy and will carry out a formal evaluation of progress against the strategy's key objectives by 2013.
	Statutory guidance for health and social care bodies published on 17 December 2010 to support delivery of the strategy focuses on four important areas where health and social care can improve the way they support adults with autism:
	increasing understanding of autism among front-line staff;
	strengthening diagnosis and assessment of needs;
	improving transition from child to adult services; and
	ensuring the needs of adults with autism are included within local health and care service planning.
	‘Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives: Evaluating Progress’, a self-assessment framework published on 1 April last year provides support to localities in delivering the strategy and statutory guidance. This self-assessment framework should help health and social care bodies identify how they are doing in terms of planning services. The Department has commissioned the Learning Disabilities Public Health Observatory to collate these self-assessments, and make them available on their website.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has developed clinical guidelines for children and young people with autism, with further guidelines for adults with autism scheduled to be published in July 2012.
	There has been no recent assessment of the adequacy of NHS services for people with learning disabilities. However, this Government are committed to improving the health of people with learning disabilities:
	we have extended the contract for a Government-funded confidential inquiry into the premature and avoidable death of people with learning disabilities;
	we are funding a specific public health observatory focussing on improving health care for people with learning disabilities; and
	we are continuing to support annual health checks for people with learning disabilities.

General Practitioners

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for cross-border GP consortia have been received by the Shadow NHS Commissioning Board to date.

Anne Milton: The NHS Commissioning Board Authority is a preparatory body aimed at preparing for the establishment of the NHS Commissioning Board, subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill. Therefore, it has no power to authorise clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and is not taking applications for this purpose.
	The Government have accepted the NHS Future Forum's recommendation that the boundaries of CCGs should not normally cross those of local authorities.
	If a commissioning group wishes to be established on the basis of boundaries that would cross local authority boundaries, it will be expected to demonstrate to the NHS Commissioning Board a clear rationale in terms of benefits for patients: for example, if it would reflect local patient flows or enable the group to take on practices where, overall, this would secure a better service for patients. Further, they would need to provide a clear account of how they would expect to achieve better integration between health and social care services. Further detail on how authorisation can work is set out in “Developing Clinical Commissioning Groups: Towards Authorisation” (September 2011). A copy has been placed in the Library.

General Practitioners: Pharmacy

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to encourage pharmacists to become involved in the GP commissioning process in order for their opinions to be considered.

Simon Burns: The Government wants clinical commissioning groups to have the flexibility to engage with the full range of health and care professionals to support the design of pathways of care and to shape services. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be required to obtain appropriate advice from a broad range of professionals, which can include pharmacists. CCGs may also include pharmacists in their committees.
	Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for issuing guidance to commissioning groups (to which they must have regard) on their duty to obtain appropriate professional advice, for example in relation to working with multi-disciplinary clinical networks and senates.

Hospitals

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve co-operation between hospital trusts to ensure efficient continuity of patient care.

Simon Burns: All national health service bodies and private and third sector providers supplying NHS services are required by the Health Act 2009 to take account of the NHS Constitution in their decisions and actions. This includes the principle that the NHS works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.
	The Health and Social Care Bill takes this further by making it clear that in exercising any of their functions, commissioners must act with a view to securing that services are provided in a way that promotes the NHS Constitution; and with a view to securing continuous improvement in outcomes, including effectiveness, safety and quality of patient experience. Commissioners must also exercise their functions with a view to securing that health services are provided in an integrated way, where this would improve the quality of those services including outcomes and/or reduce inequalities in relation to access to services and outcomes.
	Monitor's overriding duty, as sector regulator for NHS health care, would be to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of services, for the benefits of patients. Monitor would be required to support commissioners by enabling integration of services.

Hospitals: Electricity

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a list of all hospitals that are contracted to provide electricity on demand to STOR aggregators.

Simon Burns: The Department does not maintain a central record of Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) contracted trusts.
	The STOR commitment of making available electrical generation capacity is a local operational issue contracted by an individual national health service trust or collection of trusts.

National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the accreditation process for the Duchenne Standards of Care.

Paul Burstow: We have had no recent discussions with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on their accreditation process for the Duchenne standards of care.

NHS: Reorganisation

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the (a) redundancy and (b) non-redundancy costs which have been incurred as a result of NHS reorganisation since (i) May 2010 and (ii) January 2011.

Anne Milton: National health service bodies are constantly in the process of reorganisation to modernise services and improve value for money.
	The annual accounts information we collect from the NHS only gives the total cost of all redundancies for a financial year, it is not broken down by category (so we cannot identify redundancies relating specifically to restructuring) and we cannot attribute any costs to a particular period of a year.

Organs: Donors

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in South Swindon constituency are registered as organ donors; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: As at 4 October 2011 there were 32,705 people registered on the organ donor register in South Swindon.
	The Organ Donation Taskforce report, published in 2008, stated that by strengthening the donation programme in the United Kingdom, organ donor rates could increase by 50% by 2013. This would enable a further 1,200 people each year to benefit from a transplant.
	Significant investment in the implementation of the taskforce recommendations, such as more donor transplant co-ordinators and clinical leads and donation committees in every acute trust, has seen donor rates rise by around 31% since 2008. Over 18 million people, some 29% of the United Kingdom population, have now registered on the organ donor register.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Departmental Drinks

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much (a) his Department and (b) its public bodies have spent on (i) wine, (ii) other alcoholic refreshments and (iii) bottled water since May 2010.

David Lidington: This information is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office undertakes a wide range of activities to establish and maintain contacts throughout its network of over 250 overseas posts as well as diplomatic activity in the UK to promote and defend British interests. Any such spending is undertaken for business reasons, and expenditure on business hospitality is kept under rigorous scrutiny to ensure value for money and effectiveness and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

Economic and Monetary Union

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings have taken place at EU level to negotiate the terms of the fiscal compact in advance of the EU summit on 30 January 2012; and whether the Government was represented at each such meeting.

William Hague: Three meetings of the ad hoc working group on the Fiscal Stability Union have taken place: on 20 December 2011, 6 January 2012 and 12 January 2012. The proposed Treaty was also discussed at a Eurogroup-plus meeting on 23 January. The British Government have been represented at each meeting.

Economic and Monetary Union

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on investigating the legal issues surrounding the use of EU institutions by non-EU bodies since the EU summit in December 2011.

William Hague: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Legal Advisors department provides and obtains advice on a wide variety of legal matters. Work for the FCO on the legal issues to date has been absorbed within the Legal Advisors' existing budget.

Economic and Monetary Union: Civil Service

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any civil servants have been involved in official negotiations with other EU countries on the fiscal compact ahead of the EU summit on 30 January 2012; what the grade was of each such civil servant; and which department they represented.

William Hague: UK civil servants have attended ad hoc working group meetings to raise issues and offer observations. We will not be signing up to the Intergovernmental Treaty, so we are not negotiating on the text. Senior civil servants from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Treasury and the UK Permanent Representation to the EU, including the Permanent Representative, represented the UK.

EU Countries: Visits Abroad

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on ministerial travel to each EU member state capital in each month since October 2010.

William Hague: Details of ministerial travel are published on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/transparency-and-data1/hospitality

Pakistan: Politics and Government

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the aims and objectives of policy on Pakistan are.

Alistair Burt: The UK's policy in Pakistan is based on five objectives. We want to work with Pakistan on national security issues and counter-terrorism; helping Pakistan consolidate democracy; supporting Pakistan to deliver macro-economic stability, growth and services for its citizens and supporting Pakistan to play a constructive role in the region.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions his Department has intervened in order to help facilitate the return of monies held in overseas countries or banks since the enactment of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and in which countries.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's global diplomatic network works on organised crime issues under the lead of the Home Office, in line with the Strategic Defence and Security Review's commitment to “ensure that our diplomatic posts co-ordinate the overseas responses at a strategic level”. However, we do not comment on interventions with foreign governments in connection with police investigations, some of which may be ongoing. We do not hold figures for the number of such interventions since the enactment of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to measure progress on the implementation of policies supporting the Big Society initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: Most of our policies are implemented overseas, so do not fall within the domestic Big Society initiative and this aspect of our policy implementation is not measured. We work hard to strengthen and support civil society in all the countries that we work in.
	However, all HMG Departments are committed to the initiative to open up Government supplier contracts to smaller enterprises. We have implemented changes to our procurement monitoring so that we can measure the number of contracts awarded to UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office makes it as easy as possible for staff to contribute to their community by giving all employees up to five days paid special leave a year for this, whether in the UK or abroad. Many staff also choose to give up their own time to volunteer, though this is not measured.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Disability Living Allowance: British Nationality

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support his Department is providing to British citizens previously living abroad who have returned to the UK and meet the 26 week residency criteria and are awaiting a decision on a claim for disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The Department for Work and Pensions endeavours to deal with all claims as quickly as possible. Where a decision cannot be made until after the first day of entitlement to disability living allowance then an arrears payment will be made to cover this period.

Disability Living Allowance: British Nationality

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many British citizens previously living abroad who have returned to the UK and meet the 26 week residency criteria are awaiting a decision on a claim for disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: While the Department for Work and Pensions holds information on outstanding claims to DLA, we are not able to provide a breakdown based on the requested criteria.
	The Department for Work and Pensions does not routinely collect or record information on where people have previously lived, or how long they have been in the country, for periods that do not affect their claim for disability living allowance.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what alternatives his Department considered to the one-year time-limit on contributory employment and support allowance; and what the reasons were for not pursuing any such alternatives.

Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George) on 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 92W.

Employment and Support Allowance

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the employment and support allowance support group have a statutorily-defined terminal illness under the terms of his Department's DS1500 Form.

Chris Grayling: Claimants to employment and support allowance (ESA) who are deemed to be terminally ill, with less than six months to live, will be placed directly into the support group, without having to undergo a face-to-face work capability assessment (WCA).
	Data on the number of claimants who are currently in the support group on this basis are not available.
	However, data are available on the number of terminally ill claimants moving into the ESA support group. The Department regularly publishes official statistics on ESA and WCA. Table 5 in the most recent publication (released in January 2012) shows that, for the period March 2011 to May 2011 (the most recent data available), around 1,000 claimants were assigned to the support group on the grounds that they were terminally ill.
	The publication can be found on the Departmental website here:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?paae=esa_wca

Employment and Support Allowance

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment and support allowance applicants have undertaken a work capability assessment whilst having a statutorily-defined terminal illness under the terms of his Department's DS1500 Form.

Chris Grayling: The Department considers a person to be terminally ill if they are diagnosed with a progressive disease, and where death is a likely consequence of that disease and is reasonably expected within six months. Such people will be treated as having limited capability for work and will not need to undergo the face to face work capability assessment in order to determine eligibility for employment and support allowance (ESA).
	Additionally, they will also be treated as having limited capability for work-related activity, and so will be placed in the support group of ESA where they will not be expected to undertake work-related activity.

Employment and Support Allowance

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with a statutorily-defined terminal illness under the terms of his Department's DS1500 Form are in the work related activity group for employment and support allowance.

Chris Grayling: The Department considers a person to be terminally ill if they are diagnosed with a progressive disease, and where death is a likely consequence of that disease and is reasonably expected within six months.
	Such people will be treated as having limited capability for work, and limited capability for work-related activity, and as such cannot be placed in the work related activity group of employment and support allowance (ESA). They will be placed in the support group where they will not be expected to undertake work-related activity. They will not need to undergo the face to face work capability assessment in order to determine eligibility for ESA.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against refusal of the employment and support allowance there were in each month from June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The following table shows the number of employment and support allowance (ESA) appeals received by the Department for the period June 2010 to December 2011, the last date for which figures are available. These figures represent all ESA appeals received, including those customers appealing against the result of their work capability assessment as well as those where ESA has been refused before a claimant enters the ESA assessment phase.
	Note that appeals against incapacity benefit reassessment claims are not included in these figures.
	
		
			  ESA appeals received 
			 2010  
			 June 19,600 
			 July 20,300 
			 August 20,300 
			 September 19,900 
			 October 19,700 
			 November 21,700 
			 December 17,400 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 15,100 
			 February 18,200 
			 March 22,400 
			 April 18,200 
			 May 17,700 
			 June 20,400 
			 July 18,700 
			 August 18,000 
			 September 12,800 
			 October 12,800 
			 November 12,900 
			 December 12,600 
			 Notes: 1. Management Information System Programme (MISP) is the departmental performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice. 2. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. Source: Management Information System Programme 25 January 2012.

Employment Tribunals Service: Unfair Dismissal

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for unfair dismissal tribunal hearings there were in each month from June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions employs over 100,000 staff. Robust measures are in place to ensure that all procedures are correctly followed before employees are dismissed including access to a Complex Case Advisory Service for managers.
	Since June 2010 there has been a total of 389 applications for unfair dismissal tribunal hearings lodged with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The details for each month from June 2010 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010  
			 June 21 
			 July 16 
			 August 16 
			 September 10 
			 October 9 
			 November 21 
			 December 10 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 9 
			 February 12 
			 March 20 
			 April 8 
			 May 18 
			 June 27 
			 July 17 
			 August 37 
			 September 59 
			 October 32 
			 November 26 
			 December 14 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 7

Housing Benefit

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households in each local authority area that will be affected by the planned reduction in housing benefit because the tenants have two or more spare bedrooms.

Steve Webb: The information is not available for each local authority area.
	The estimated impact of changes to housing benefit for working-age tenants living in the social rented sector is based upon information collected in the Department's Family Resources Survey. Because the survey collects information from a sample of households, we cannot produce reliable estimates for the number of claimants affected by local authority area.
	In February 2011 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) produced an impact assessment entitled “Under-occupation of social housing”, coinciding with the publication of the Welfare Reform Bill. The impact assessment can be found at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf
	The impact assessment included a national estimate of the extent to which claimants were under-occupying their accommodation for working age housing benefit recipients living in social housing, under-occupying their home and who were likely to be affected by the introduction of the size criteria in social-rented housing in 2013-14.
	In Great Britain we estimate that approximately 150,000 working age claimants would be under occupying accommodation by two or more bedrooms when the change to housing benefit is introduced in 2013-14.

Housing Benefit: Autism

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the potential effects of extending the shared accommodation rate for housing benefit to those under the age of 35 who suffer from autism.

Steve Webb: We are unable to complete such an assessment as data are not available that identifies people with autism within housing benefit. However those that receive the severe disability premium will be exempt as will those individuals who have a non-resident overnight carer or who live in certain types of supported accommodation.
	Further, individuals can apply to their local authority for a discretionary housing payment. We have trebled the support for discretionary housing payments and this will enable local authorities to provide additional support such as allowing extra time to find suitable alternative accommodation and provide longer term support for vulnerable customers.

Identity Assurance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason his Department has published a cancellation notice in the Official Journal of the European Union in respect of its tender for identity assurance services; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The cancellation notice was issued in order to allow a short period of further consultation and collaborative working between my Department, Cabinet Office and other Government Departments. This will ensure that the Department for Work and Pensions' identity assurance arrangements are fully coherent with broader Government policy and intentions in this area, and—where appropriate—provide a suitable route to market for other Departments.

Identity Assurance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to issue his Department's tender for identity assurance services; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the time taken to issue that tender on his Department's programmes.

Chris Grayling: Following a period of consultation and collaborative working with Cabinet Office and other Government Departments, we expect to issue the tender no later than the first week in March. Although we are developing contingencies to mitigate the effects of any delay, we have been able to manage the impact within the procurement process, and do not at present anticipate any effects upon dependent programmes.

Pensions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were members of (a) defined benefit and (b) defined contribution pension schemes in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The response is derived from two data sources, for employer-based pension schemes and non employer-based pension schemes respectively.
	The numbers of employee jobs with (a) defined benefit and (b) defined contribution employer-based pension schemes, in each of the last five years for which figures are available, are provided in the following table. These data are from the ONS' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
	Note that employees may have more than one job. The figures are for indicative purposes only and should not be considered an accurate estimate of employee job counts.
	Defined contribution pensions here include employer-based Group Personal Pensions and Stakeholder Pensions, where individuals enter into a contract with a pension provider (usually an insurance company).
	
		
			 Million 
			  Employer- based defined benefit schemes Employer-based defined contribution schemes Total 
			 2006 8.5 4.2 12.7 
			 2007 8.6 4.2 12.9 
			 2008 8.6 4.2 12.7 
			 2009 8.5 4,2 12.6 
			 2010 8.2 4.2 12.5 
		
	
	The membership numbers of non employer-based defined contribution pension schemes are provided in the following table. These include personal pensions and stakeholder pensions and would not be included in the ASHE figures shown above. Data are derived from HMRC's Tables 7.4 and 7.5 as reported to HMRC by pension providers.
	
		
			 Million 
			  Non-employer based defined contribution pensions schemes Personal pension schemes Stakeholder pension schemes Total 
			 2005-06 6.3 0.8 7.1  
			 2006-07 6.1 0.9 7.0  
			 2007-08 5.9 0.9 6.8  
			 2008-09 5,6 0.9 6.5  
			 2009-10 5.3 0.9 6.2  
		
	
	For both ASHE and HMRC data sources, components may not sum to their total due to rounding.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many reports of benefit fraud were received through the benefit fraud report hotline in the last 12 months; and how many of these resulted in an investigation.

Chris Grayling: Every call to the national benefit fraud hotline is assessed. The information is passed to either the Fraud Investigation Service for investigation leading to a prosecution or sanction if appropriate, or to customer compliance teams who will correct the benefit and start the recovery of any overpayment.
	In 2010-11, 251,847 allegations of suspected benefit fraud were reported to the Hotline of which 30,516 were referred to the Fraud Investigation Service.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money was claimed back as a result of investigations carried out following reports to the benefit fraud hotline in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The amount of money recovered as a result of investigations carried out following a report of suspected fraud to the national benefit fraud hotline is not available.
	However, in 2010-11 the Department recovered over £322 million of debts owed to the Department.

Universal Credit

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on the testing and implementation of computer systems that will be used to administer the universal credit.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit is on track and on budget to deliver a new benefit system fit for the 21st century from 2013.
	While universal credit represents a huge step forward in the evolution of the working age benefits system, it is not based on new large-scale, complex IT systems. Over 60% of the total system is based on re-using existing IT, with the new developments using tried and tested IT technology.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, column 920W, on universal credit, what the membership of the transition working group on the likely effects of universal credit on local authorities is.

Chris Grayling: The Local Authority Transition Working Group membership consists of senior representatives from local authority revenues and benefits services covering England, Scotland and Wales. They are nominated by the Local Authority Associations, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and Welsh Local Government Association. In addition there are several representatives from local authorities who have expressed an interest in working with my Department on welfare reform impacts.
	There are also representatives from my Department, Department for Communities and Local Government, Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government.
	The terms of reference for the group and minutes from the meetings are published on my Department's website:
	www.dwp.gov.uk/local-authority-staff/universal-credit-information/local-authority-transition-working/

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, column 920W, on universal credit, which local authorities (a) have been visited and (b) will be visited in the course of work to assess the likely effects of universal credit on local authorities.

Chris Grayling: In recognition of the importance of LAs to successful delivery of UC, an LA liaison team, which included an LA secondee, has been established to build and manage our relationships with LAs, bringing LA insight and expertise into the programme and communicating key messages back to LAs. One key aspect of building a successful rapport with LAs has been our programme of visits to individual LAs nationwide—including four to Wales and nine to Scotland. The programme began last summer and by the end of March over 100 LAs will have been visited.
	The following list contains the names of the LAs already visited up until January 2012:
	Amber Valley
	Ashford
	Barking and Dagenham
	Basildon
	Bath
	Bedford
	Birmingham
	Blackpool
	Bolton
	Bolton Benefits Forum
	Bournemouth
	Bracknell Forest
	Brent
	Brighton and Hove
	Bristol
	Bromley
	Bromsgrove
	Burnley
	Bury
	Cannock Chase
	Castlepoint
	Cheshire East
	Colchester
	Conwy
	Cornwall
	Coventry
	Dartford
	Dundee City
	Dundee Benefits forum
	Durham
	East Devon
	East Riding of Yorkshire
	Edinburgh
	Enfield
	Erewash
	Falkirk
	Fife
	Flintshire
	Fylde
	Glasgow
	Great Yarmouth
	Guildford
	Hackney
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Harlow
	Harrogate
	Harrow
	Hertfordshire
	Hinckley and Bosworth
	Inverclyde
	Isle of Anglesey
	Isle of Wight
	Islington
	Kent
	Kings Lynn
	Kirklees
	Knowsley
	Lambeth
	Leeds
	Leicester
	Lewisham
	Liverpool
	Newcastle
	North Devon
	North Lincolnshire
	North Warwickshire
	North Yorkshire
	Northampton
	Perth and Kinross
	Poole
	Renfrewshire
	Ribble Valley
	Rushmoor
	Sevenoaks
	Sheffield
	Shepway
	Shropshire
	South Norfolk
	Southampton
	Stockport
	Surrey
	Tameside
	Tonbridge
	Warrington
	West Norfolk
	West Somerset
	Wiltshire
	Wrexham
	Wyre Forest.
	Visits booked between February and March 2012:
	Angus
	Calderdale
	Cleethorpes
	Darlington
	Derbyshire
	Dales
	Grimsby
	Hull
	Luton
	Merton
	Mid-Devon
	Middlesbrough
	New Forest
	Northumberland
	Oxford City
	Pembrokeshire
	Salford
	Sandwell
	Sefton
	South Kesteven
	South Northampton
	South Oxfordshire and The Vale White Horse
	South Somerset
	Stour Valley
	Wyre Valley.
	Housing associations visited:
	Amicus Horizon
	Guinness
	East Thames Housing
	Knightstone.

Welfare Reform Bill

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill on levels of subjective well-being of children.

Maria Miller: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave on 20 January 2012, Official Report, columns 1020-21W.

Work Experience

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department collects on the ratio of work placements to job interviews undertaken under the sector-based work academy scheme.

Chris Grayling: Information on the number of claimants participating in the sector-based work academy scheme will be published later in the year.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Egypt

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the former Egyptian Government have claimed political asylum in the UK.

Damian Green: The information requested could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.

Travel Requirements

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) quickest and (b) slowest times taken to process an application for a convention travel document submitted in each of the years from 2000 to 2010 were.

Damian Green: The information in the format requested could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
	However the published targets for processing applications for Home Office travel documents are 70% within 20 working days and 98% in 70 working days.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Civil Partnerships: Ceremonies

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Church of England and (b) other church groups on same sex marriages in church;
	(2)  what representations she has received from the Church of England on same sex marriages in church.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government will publish a formal consultation on equal civil marriage in March 2012. I have met with a wide range of organisations ahead of this consultation including with representatives from the following church organisations: Church of England, Catholic Church, the Evangelical Alliance, Christian Institute, Quakers and Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. Discussions have been held and are ongoing with other organisations including those representing other faith groups, non-religious groups and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups.
	This consultation will not propose any changes to religious marriage. Same-sex couples will not be able, under these proposals, to have a marriage through a religious ceremony on religious premises.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burkina Faso: Poverty

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made on the number of people living in poverty in Burkina Faso.

Stephen O'Brien: According to the latest available data from the World Bank (2003), it is estimated that 56.5% out of Burkina Faso's total population of 16.5 million are living below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have an aid programme or a presence in Burkina Faso.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the conduct of the recent elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Andrew Mitchell: President Kabila was inaugurated as President of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 20 December. Her Majesty's ambassador attended the inauguration. We remain concerned about reports of irregularities during the electoral process and call on CENI (the DRC Electoral Commission) to investigate fully all such complaints. We await the final reports of international election observation missions, including the European Union and Carter Center missions.

Developing Countries: Diseases

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's programmes to tackle non-communicable diseases in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development's health focus is to improve the provision of basic health services for the poorest by supporting health systems strengthening, health worker capacity and access to essential medicines. Increasing coverage, equity, access and quality within the health system will strengthen services to identify, prioritise and address all causes of ill health including non-communicable diseases. We regularly monitor our programmes to ensure that they are meeting their objectives.
	The Global Status report on Non-communicable diseases 2010, published in 2011 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), contains information on the most cost effective approaches for tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as information on the availability of procedures to treat NCDs in the different regions of the world.

Developing Countries: Multinational Companies

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department works in partnership with (a) Nestlé and (b) other multinational companies on programmes in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is not working directly in partnership with Nestlé on programmes in developing countries. DFID does support Fairtrade International, who work with Nestlé on their Fairtrade products.
	DFID works in partnership with a range of multinational companies through our bilateral and multilateral programmes, including the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund, Business Innovation Facility and Business Call to Action.

Diseases

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of levels of (a) cardiovascular disease, (b) cancer, (c) chronic lung diseases and (d) diabetes in (i) Eastern and Southern Africa, (ii) West and Central Africa, (iii) the Middle East and North Africa, (iv) South Asia, (v) Central Asia, (vi) East Asia and the Pacific, (vii) the Caribbean, (viii) Europe, (ix) Latin America and (x) the UK's Overseas Territories.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) tracks the burden of non-communicable diseases through the Global Status report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The 2010 report, which was published in 2011, contains information on the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by the six WHO regions. In addition it contains information on the extent of the underlying risk factors for NCDs, such as tobacco use and high blood pressure. The report also includes country specific data and can be seen at
	http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department plans to respond to the letter of 5 October 2011 and email of 10 November 2011 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay regarding a constituent, Mr James Lowe.

Andrew Mitchell: My hon. Friend's letter to the Minister of State, Department for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr Duncan), of 5 October was transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for reply, since the questions from Mr James Lowe covered the Israel/Palestine conflict which is an FCO lead. The FCO Minister responsible for our relations with the middle east, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), replied on 31 October on behalf of the Government.

Somalia: International Co-operation

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what international development objectives he has set for the international conference on Somalia on 23 February 2012.

Stephen O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 429W.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department has allocated to Yemen for 2012.

Alan Duncan: Because of the uncertainty around the environment in which we will be delivering our aid programme next year, we are not yet in a position to confirm our proposed assistance to Yemen for 2012-13. We are hopeful that political transition progresses successfully and that we are able to scale up our aid to Yemen significantly.

JUSTICE

Appeals: Hull

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the average length of time was from receipt of (a) an income support, (b) a tax credits and (c) a disability living allowance appeal to the clearance or disposal of the case (i) nationally and (ii) at the Hull venue in each month since April 2008;
	(2)  what the average length of time taken was from receipt of an appeal under the Mental Health Act 1983 to the clearance or disposal of the case (a) nationally and (b) at the Hull venue in each month since April 2008;
	(3)  what the average length of time taken was from receipt of an immigration appeal to the clearance or disposal of the case (a) nationally and (b) at the Hull venue in each month since April 2008.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal, the Mental Health (MH) Tribunal and the Immigration and Asylum (IA) Tribunal each hear appeals of different types and complexity, have different requirements for the composition of panels and different hearing lengths, all of which has an impact on the time taken to dispose of cases. The waiting times are therefore not directly comparable between jurisdictions.
	The following tables show the average time taken in weeks from receipt of an appeal by Her Majesty's Court and Tribunals Service until the date of disposal of the case nationally and in Hull (except for the Mental Health Tribunal, for which it is not possible to provide data specific to Hull as its database does not store information by area, hospital or NHS Trust) in each month since April 2008.
	
		
			 Social Security and Child Support appeals—average waiting times in weeks 
			 Weeks 
			 2008-09 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 National             
			 Income support 8.5 9.6 9.4 9.4 9.9 10.7 9.7 12.8 13.0 13.9 13.2 14.0 
			 Tax credits 8.2 17.3 8.0 8.1 18.4 9.5 8.6 12.2 15.2 12.0 12.4 11.7 
			 Disability living allowance (DLA) 10.5 11.0 11.3 11.8 11.8 12.1 11.9 14.1 14.0 15.5 15.3 15.3 
			              
			 Hull             
			 Income support 11.5 9.9 15.3 14.9 16.6 14.8 7.4 8.7 12.5 39.8 9.2 13.4 
			 Tax credits 3.8 4.3 6.6 22.0 0.0 2.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.7 0.0 
		
	
	
		
			 DLA 14.3 10.4 13.0 12.2 11.0 12.8 11.0 17.1 15.1 17.3 15.5 14.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2009-10 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 National             
			 Income support 14.6 15.1 16.7 16.1 15.2 16.5 16.0 16.8 16.8 16.5 16.7 17.7 
			 Tax credits 14.6 13.6 12.1 11.6 11.7 12.6 13.5 15.7 17.0 17.3 14.3 22.7 
			 DLA 15.7 15.3 15.5 15.9 15.2 15.5 15.9 16.4 16.0 17.3 18.2 18.9 
			              
			 Hull             
			 Income support 8.5 10.6 11.5 10.0 22.4 15.5 10.5 15.5 15.1 22.7 11.1 15.9 
			 Tax credits 15.1 9.4 19.2 18.5 3.4 0.0 0.0 23.0 10.3 0.0 0.0 17.7 
			 DLA 14.9 0.0 11.0 13.1 19.3 14.1 12.2 13.9 13.7 20.8 16.2 17.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2010-11 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 National             
			 Income support 18.0 17.3 17.4 19.7 18.7 20.2 20.6 19.6 20.1 20.3 22.7 24.5 
			 Tax credits 12.7 12.4 13.7 13.9 16.2 15.9 15.6 16.0 16.1 17.6 17.3 16.7 
			 DLA 19.8 19.5 20.3 21.2 21.6 21.6 22.3 22.8 23.7 26.3 25.7 27.6 
			              
			 Hull             
			 Income support 15.3 10.7 20.6 19.3 11.9 34.5 26.7 19.2 21.9 7.6 26.0 16.5 
			 Tax credits 4.0 0.0 18.1 0.0 15.3 20.0 18.5 18.9 7.6 24.0 0.0 2.4 
			 DLA 17.4 19.4 23.2 22.1 23.6 22.8 21.0 24.6 25.8 19.5 24.0 29.3 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2011 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 
			 National        
			 Income support 22.9 25.2 24.8 26.3 27.4 26.6 25.4 
			 Tax credits 16.6 18.2 16.0 19.3 18.8 19.5 17.4 
			 DLA 27.9 28.3 28.5 29.1 28.7 28.2 28.3 
			         
			 Hull        
			 Income support 8.8 7.9 24.4 20.1 10.4 22.1 8.3 
			 Tax credits 1.0 9.2 13.0 6.8 0.0 1.6 2.4 
			 DLA 23.0 24.5 24.8 28.7 28.5 31.1 31.2 
			 Note: Individual cases can have a disproportionate impact on the overall data at venue level due to the relatively low volumes involved. Figures are available for October 2011 for SSCS but not for MH or IA. This is because statistics were, exceptionally, published for SSCS from January until October 2011. 
		
	
	Waiting times within the SSCS tribunal have increased as a result of increased numbers of appeals following reforms in the welfare benefit system. Appeals to the SSCS tribunal in 2010-11 were over 70% higher than they were in 2008-09. The SSCS tribunal has responded strongly by increasing its capacity to deal with the increased workload. It has increased the number of tribunal sessions held, recruited administrative staff, judges and other panel members, introduced more efficient processes and extended opening times. Additional panel members for the Hull venue have been appointed and will take up their roles in the spring. This will further improve capacity at Hull.
	Mental Health appeals—average waiting times
	The First-tier Tribunal Mental Health hears applications and references for people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007) or living in the community following the making of a conditional discharge, or a community treatment or guardianship order.
	Section 2 cases are appeals made by an individual against their admission to a secure hospital for assessment. Hearings must take place within seven days of receipt of the appeal application by the tribunal.
	‘Restricted’: Appeals against restriction orders (from a court) or a restriction direction (e.g. for a prisoner transferred to hospital).
	‘Non-restricted’: Appeals against the application of provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007) which do not fall into the above two categories.
	The following tables show national data only. The Mental Health Tribunal database does not store information by area, hospital or NHS trust so it is not possible to provide data specific to Hull.
	
		
			 Mental Health — average waiting times in weeks 
			 Weeks 
			 2008-09 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Section 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Restricted 16 16 16 16 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 
			 Non-restricted 10 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2009-10 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Section 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Restricted 15 14 14 14 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 
			 Non-restricted 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2010-11 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Section 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Restricted 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 13 
			 Non-restricted 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2011 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 
			 Section 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Restricted 14 13 13 13 13 12 
			 Non-restricted 8 8 7 8 8 8 
			 Note: The Mental Health Tribunal database does not provide statistics on waiting times. The figures provided are therefore estimates based on time bands rather than on the exact length of time taken in individual cases. 
		
	
	Immigration appeals—average waiting times
	The Immigration and Asylum jurisdiction deals with appeals against refusal decisions by the UK Border Agency (UKBA), acting for the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on matters of immigration and nationality.
	Immigration entry clearance officer appeals (ECO) are appeals made by people who are not in the UK, but who have applied to live here permanently. They also include appeals based on specific human rights or racial discrimination grounds, arising from the points-based system for visa applications.
	Managed migration appeals are made by people who are already in the UK and are either seeking to stay permanently or to stay longer than they are currently entitled to.
	The figures provided are for the Bradford tribunal venue, which hears appeals from appellants from Hull as well as other nearby locations.
	
		
			 Immigration and Asylum—average waiting times in weeks 
			 Weeks 
			 2008 - 09 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 National             
			 Immigration ECO 26.0 26.3 26.3 27.9 27.4 27.2 26.8 26.1 26.8 27.9 27.5 26.5 
			 Managed migration 9.3 9.2 9.5 8.9 9.2 8.8 8.9 8.4 8.2 8.9 8.4 8.4 
		
	
	
		
			              
			 Bradford tribunal venue             
			 Immigration ECO 24.8 24.7 24.8 26.1 26.3 27.8 27.1 26.3 27.0 26.4 28.1 26.3 
			 Managed migration 7.4 8.5 9.0 7.7 8.0 8.8 9.4 9.3 10.9 8.7 9.3 8.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2009 - 10 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 National             
			 Immigration ECO 27.7 28.2 30.0 32.1 31.1 31.5 34.2 34.2 34.9 34.7 31.7 33.4 
			 Managed migration 8.7 9.0 9.6 9.4 9.2 9.9 10.0 10.0 12.4 13.2 12.9 15.8 
			              
			 Bradford tribunal venue             
			 Immigration ECO 26.5 27.6 30.3 29.5 28.3 31.2 32.7 31.9 35.4 35.1 34.4 33.4 
			 Managed migration 7.0 8.7 10.4 9.1 9.4 9.0 9.9 8.5 9.9 10.3 9.5 9.3 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2010-11 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 National             
			 Immigration ECO 29.7 28.2 29.0 31.7 31.0 28.8 28.7 29.6 25.2 25.7 27.6 26.5 
			 Managed Migration 15.0 17.3 16.7 17.1 16.8 16.0 15.1 13.7 11.6 11.3 10.8 9.7 
			              
			 Bradford tribunal venue             
			 Immigration ECO 29.7 26.5 27.0 28.8 27.7 27.2 26.7 24.2 25.4 28.0 25.6 27.5 
			 Managed migration 9.0 11.0 10.9 9.5 8.1 9.4 7.2 8.2 11.5 10.6 9.5 8.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			 2011 - 12 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 
			 National       
			 Immigration ECO 26.7 31.7 28.9 28.0 26.8 25.0 
			 Managed migration 9.2 9.9 12.3 11.3 8.5 8.5 
			        
			 Bradford tribunal venue       
			 Immigration ECO 26.6 27.0 26.8 23.8 26.7 28.8 
			 Managed migration 7.8 10.0 10.0 7.4 7.3 9.7

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average number of days was between (a) application and decision on eligibility and (b) decision on eligibility and payment for those seeking compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive.

Jonathan Djanogly: CICA's database does not distinguish between decisions on eligibility and quantum because claims officers must decide both before they can record a decision on the database. The following table shows the average number of calendar days between CICA receiving an application and a decision for cases decided in each calendar year, in answer to (a).
	To ensure CICA's application of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is as robust as possible all applicants can ask for a review of their case if they are unhappy with the decision. If the applicant remains unhappy after the review they can appeal to the first-tier tribunal. Since decisions at review or appeal are not bound by the previous decisions on eligibility or quantum, the figures for the answer to (b) reflect the average number of days between CICA (or the first-tier tribunal) making the decision the applicant ultimately accepted and CICA receiving the applicant's formal acceptance (all applicants have 90 calendar days in which to return this).
	Figures for earlier years are artificially lower because the tariff scheme was only established in 1996, so cases that took several years to decide will raise the average of the years in which they were decided.
	
		
			  Average calendar days to decision (a) Average calendar days to accept an offer (b) 
			 1997 215 22 
			 1998 250 24 
			 1999 253 26 
			 2000 252 27 
			 2001 284 28 
			 2002 297 28 
			 2003 311 28 
			 2004 305 28 
			 2005 342 30 
			 2006 356 29 
			 2007 372 49 
			 2008 322 32 
			 2009 310 55 
			 2010 239 33 
			 2011 243 32

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for criminal injuries compensation were received from applicants serving custodial sentences or on remand in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive; for what reasons; and what total value of compensation was paid to those applicants in each year.

Jonathan Djanogly: CICA do not hold that information in their central database. Paragraphs 13 (l)(e) and 14(3) of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2008, when taken together, mean that a claims officer must reduce or withhold compensation if the applicant has unspent criminal convictions unless there are exceptional reasons not to do so. Previous schemes had similar provisions. CICA publish the specific guidance their claims officers use to deal with unspent criminal convictions. That guidance shows that serving prisoners incur a 100% reduction so it is unlikely that CICA will compensate a serving prisoner.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for criminal injuries compensation were (a) ruled out because the applicant had a criminal record and (b) granted to applicants with a criminal record in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive; and what total value of compensation was paid to those with a criminal record in each year.

Jonathan Djanogly: The figures are given in the following table. These figures reflect only cases where a claims officer reduced or withheld an award due to unspent convictions because that is the only data CICA's central database holds regarding criminal records. The current (2008) compensation scheme says claims officers must refuse or reduce compensation where the applicant has unspent convictions unless there are exceptional reasons not do so. But there are cases still being considered under previous schemes that didn't make such reductions compulsory. The number of awards paid to those with unspent convictions is therefore likely to be higher—particularly for the years before 2008.
	
		
			  Number of cases refused for unspent convictions (a) Number of awards reduced for unspent convictions (b) Total value of awards paid (£) 
			 1997 1,879 714 1,252,378 
			 1998 2,840 1,233 2,504,845 
		
	
	
		
			 1999 2,230 1,484 3,121,781 
			 2000 2,430 1,312 2,833,142 
			 2001 2,615 1,275 3,156,815 
			 2002 2,796 1,405 3,642,210 
			 2003 2,570 1,453 4,198,745 
			 2004 2,840 1,454 4,064,390 
			 2005 3,478 1,408 4,789,529 
			 2006 3,717 1,528 5,709,034 
			 2007 3,838 1,604 5,518,840 
			 2008 3,818 1,997 8,293,260 
			 2009 4,445 3,133 12,257,770 
			 2010 4,230 2,928 11,798,506 
			 2011 3,726 3,092 14,904,760

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding he allocated to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in each year from 1997 to 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: The funding allocated to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for each year from 1997 to 2011 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Funds allocated (£ million) 
			 1997-98 84.0 
			 1998-99 114.6 
			 1999-2000 115.8 
			 2000-01 193.8 
			 2001-02 223.0 
			 2002-03 227.1 
			 2003-04 215.6 
			 2004-05 183.0 
			 2005-06 193.4 
			 2006-07 199.1 
			 2007-08 224.5 
			 2008-09 254.5 
			 2009-10 254.2 
			 2010-11 294.5 
		
	
	Please note, the table:
	includes the capital funding and working capital grants provided to CICA to pay approved compensations, which have been accrued in the previous period. The working capital grant in 2010-11 was £20 million;
	excludes the Scottish Government contribution towards its proportion of the costs of administering the scheme and for the full cost of all tariff compensation payments where the injury was sustained in Scotland;
	excludes funds allocated to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, which the authority effectively superseded in 1996 but which continued to pay for legacy cases and produce separate accounts until 1999-2000—which is why the authority's funds are lower for these years.
	As the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is demand-led, the Department keeps the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority's funding requirements under constant review. In addition to the funding provided at the supplementary stages, in certain years the Department also provides CICA with additional funding after the Spring (Final) Supplementary to settle those cases which have become ready for decision and payment before the end of the year.

Criminal Proceedings

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which offences are triable only in (a) Crown courts and (b) magistrates' courts; and which offences are triable in either magistrates' or Crown courts.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is to be found in the “Criminal Justice Statistics”, but as the relevant table is available only online, at
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/statistics-and-data/criminal-justice-stats/offence-classifications.xls
	a copy of it has been placed in the Library of both Houses. The first part of the table shows indictable offences, of which those marked TEW are triable either in the Crown court or summarily, and the remainder are triable only in the Crown court; the second part of the table lists offences that are triable only summarily.
	
		
			  Number of cases refused for unspent convictions (a) Number of awards reduced for unspent convictions (b) Total value of awards paid (£) 
			 1997 1,879 714 1,252,378 
			 1998 2,840 1,233 2,504,845 
			 1999 2,230 1,484 3,121,781 
			 2000 2,430 1,312 2,833,142 
			 2001 2,615 1,275 3,156,815 
			 2002 2,796 1,405 3,642,210 
			 2003 2,570 1,453 4,198,745 
			 2004 2,840 1,454 4,064,390 
			 2005 3,478 1,408 4,789,529 
			 2006 3,717 1,528 5,709,034 
			 2007 3,838 1,604 5,518,840 
			 2008 3,818 1,997 8,293,260 
			 2009 4,445 3,133 12,257,770 
			 2010 4,230 2,928 11,798,506 
			 2011 3,726 3,092 14,904,760

Legal Aid Scheme

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many case starts were awarded legal aid in each local authority in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the £1 million which Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh was ordered by Plymouth Crown court to pay under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, following his sentencing on 21 July 2008, has been paid.

Crispin Blunt: The confiscation order of £1 million in the name of Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh has been paid in full, plus an additional £19,977.60 of accrued interest for late payment. The order was due to be paid by 27 March 2011. The order was paid in full by the end of June 2011 and the accrued interest was paid on 10 August 2011.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted criminals had their sentences increased for non-payment of money owed under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since its enactment.

Crispin Blunt: Information requested is not held as separate data on the court system that can be extracted without an individual search of each confiscation order record.

Solicitors: Harrow

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of firms of solicitors in the London borough of Harrow with legal aid contracts in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; for what purposes these contracts are held; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: There are 25 provider offices with legal aid contracts in Harrow in the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13. Of these, eight have an active crime contract, 15 have an active civil contract and two have both a crime and civil contract.
	Family services are not currently included in the civil contract. The outcome of the recent family (and family with housing) tender will be announced in February and will show provision for 2012-13.
	In addition to face to face services, the public can get help with civil and family problems through community legal advice which includes telephone and internet based services.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total cost has been of Tribunal Service operations relating to appeals in respect of the work capability assessment in 2011-12 to date.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	The estimated total cost of the 112,320 ESA appeals disposed of from April 2011 to October 2011 in which the work capability assessment was a factor is £26.844 million.
	These estimated costs were calculated by multiplying the average cost of an individual first-tier tribunal—Social Security and Child Support case in 2010-11 (the latest period for which these data are available)—by the number of ESA appeals disposed of in which the work capability assessment was a factor.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Agriculture

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support agricultural apprenticeships and vocational training in the agricultural sector.

John Hayes: The Apprenticeship Programme is our preferred vocational route. It is demand led, therefore expanding and improving the Apprenticeship offer depends on businesses taking the opportunity to employ apprentices.
	The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) works with employers and training providers to increase their participation in Apprenticeship delivery and are particularly working with Land Based Training, (LANTRA), the sector skills council for Land based and Environmental Industries, to increase growth of Apprenticeships in agricultural areas.
	Recent announcements on measures to expand opportunities and boost the quality of Apprenticeships apply across all sectors. In particular, up to 40,000 incentive payments of £1,500 will be made available for small employers who take on their first new young apprentice. This may be particularly relevant to the Agricultural sector.
	We have seen growth in the number of Apprenticeship starts in Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care sector in the 2010/11 academic year, based on provisional data (Table 1).
	
		
			 Table 1: Apprenticeship starts in the agriculture, horticulture and animal care sector subject area, 2008/09 to 2010/11 (provisional data ) 
			  Apprenticeship starts 
			 2008/09 5,210 
			 2009/10 5,690 
			 2010/11 (provisional) 6,870 
			 Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 27 October 2011:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Information on Apprenticeship starts by framework and sector subject areas are available in the SFR Supplementary Tables:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/

Company Accounts

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to adjust the filing penalties in Section 453 of the Companies Act 2006 to take account of the size of the company.

Edward Davey: The level of fine imposed for the late filing of accounts depends on how late the accounts are submitted to the Registrar.
	The level of fines was carefully reviewed by Parliament during the passage of the Companies Act 2006, and it decided to have two penalty scales, one for public companies, who must file within six months, and one for private companies, who must file within nine months of their year end.
	As part of the Government's Red Tape Challenge programme all regulations relating to company law are open to review by the public including those relating to late filing penalties.

Copyright: Internet

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of proposed US legislation, the (a) Stop Online Piracy Act and (b) Protect IP Act on British businesses.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.
	The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has made no assessment or received representations on the effect on the UK of measures contained in the US Stop Piracy Online Act.

Departmental Apprentices

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department allocated to sponsor apprenticeships in his Department in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in 2012-13.

John Hayes: The core Department for Business, Innovation and Skills allocated the following funding to sponsor apprenticeship in the Department in:
	(a) 2010-11—£20,000
	(b) 2011-12—£50,000
	and plans to allocate between £10,000 and £15,000 in 2012-13.

Departmental Apprentices

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprentices were employed by his Department between (a) April 2010 and March 2011 and (b) April and December 2011; and how many apprenticeships he plans that his Department will sponsor between (i) January and March 2012 and (ii) April and March 2013.

John Hayes: The core Department for Business, Innovation and Skills employed 30 apprentices between April 2010 and March 2011 and 14 apprentices between April and December 2011. The Department has no plans to sponsor additional apprentices between January and March 2012. The Department currently anticipates sponsoring between six and 10 apprentices between April 2012 and March 2013.

Employment: Arbitration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on a rapid resolution scheme for employment disputes; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: Officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are working closely with Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service and Ministry of Justice colleagues to consider whether and how any rapid resolution scheme might work. We will consult with key stakeholders as we develop options in more detail and will undertake a full public consultation on the detail once this work is complete.

Employment: Arbitration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress he has made on developing a simplified form of compromise agreements following the Government's response to the resolving workplace disputes consultation.

Edward Davey: Officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are considering how we can develop a standard text, together with the appropriate guidance, that will be available to parties to use should they wish to settle an employment dispute without proceeding to a Tribunal. We will make an announcement in due course.

Employment: Arbitration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to receive the report of Justice Underhill on the review of rules and procedures for employment tribunals.

Edward Davey: I have invited Mr Justice Underhill to present BIS Ministers with recommendations for revised rules of procedure for employment tribunals by the end of April 2012.

Employment: Arbitration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the timetable is for the consultation on protected conversations.

Edward Davey: We expect to launch a consultation on protected conversations later this year.

Green Investment Bank

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what timetable he has set for consideration of proposals for the site of the Green Investment Bank; and whether he plans to publish a shortlist before the site is chosen.

Mark Prisk: More than 20 locations across the UK have indicated that they would be interested in hosting the headquarters of the Green Investment Bank (GIB).
	Interested locations have been asked to self-assess against a common set of criteria, to demonstrate whether they would be an effective base for the GIB. The deadline for the submission of self assessments is 30 January. All self assessments received will be reviewed by the Department. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), will then publish his decision, with accompanying reasons, in February. All submissions received will also be published.

Higher Education

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the speech to the Policy Exchange of 4 January 2012 by the Minister of State for Universities and Science, which UK universities are in the top 100 in the world.

David Willetts: The UK universities in the top 100 of the rankings referred to in the Policy Exchange speech are as follows:
	The World University Rankings 2011-12 (12 universities)
	Oxford (4), Cambridge (6), Imperial College (8), UCL (17), Edinburgh (36), LSE (47), Manchester (48), King's College (56), Bristol (66), Durham (83), St Andrews (85), Sussex (99)
	QS World University Rankings 2011-12 (19 universities)
	Cambridge (1), Oxford (5), Imperial College (6), UCL (7), Edinburgh (20), King's College (27), Manchester (29), Bristol (30), Warwick (50), Glasgow (59), LSE (64), Birmingham (67), Sheffield (72), Nottingham (74), Southampton (75), Leeds (93), Durham (95), York (96), St Andrews (97)
	ARWU 2011 (10 universities)
	Cambridge (5), Oxford (10), UCL (20), Imperial College (24), Manchester (38), Edinburgh (53), King's College (68), Bristol (70), Nottingham (85), Sheffield (97)

Higher Education: Admissions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in each parliamentary constituency applied to study at Oxford and Cambridge universities in 2011.

David Willetts: The information is shown in a table provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which will be placed in the Library of the House.

Higher Education: Admissions

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many applications to and offers by each (a) Russell Group and (b) 1994 Group university were made in the 2010-11 admissions cycle to home students in each local education authority (LEA) area; and how many and what proportion of such applicants and other recipients in each LEA were educated at (i) maintained and (ii) independent schools.

David Willetts: The information is not available centrally. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), hold the information but they have advised that they cannot release it because the publication of such detailed information for individual institutions would be potentially disclosive of individuals.

Manufacturing Industries

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on support for the manufacturing sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: We fully recognise the importance of manufacturing, its vital contribution to the growth of a more sustainable UK economy and its key role in rebalancing the economy. Working with business, we are taking steps to strengthen UK manufacturing's capability, ensuring a better business environment that will address barriers to growth, encourage innovation, exports and business investment, build UK supply chains and improve skills. The Government have put in place a range of initiatives to support manufacturing growth, including the Manufacturing Advisory Service, the Regional Growth Fund, Higher Level Apprenticeships and Catapult Centres.
	As part of the Autumn Statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, we announced a package worth £250 million that will reduce the impact of energy and climate change policies on the cost of electricity for those energy intensive industries, whose international competitiveness is most affected by these policies. In addition, on 6 December we launched a £125 million challenge fund to boost UK advanced manufacturing supply chains.
	We are making good progress in implementing the actions announced as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Review: we have already met just under 50% of the reforms announced in March and reached significant milestones on the rest. However we want to continue engaging with industry to adapt and develop our policies further to meet changing circumstances and needs. Therefore we are holding a Manufacturing Summit at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in February to discuss and agree with industry what more should be done to help us grow manufacturing in the UK.

Patents

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many patents were (a) applied for and (b) approved in each region in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Edward Davey: The following two tables give the number of patents (a) applied for and (b)granted in each UK region for the calendar years 2006-10. The data are available in separate publications from:
	http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ourpublications-review.htm
	
		
			 (a) Number of UK national patent applications filed by region 2006 to 2010 
			 Region 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 East Midlands 768 778 747 738 712 
			 East of England 2,082 2,063 1,992 1,844 1,984 
			 London 3,075 3,103 2,883 2,752 2,584 
			 North West 1,537 1,425 1,447 1,369 1,246 
			 Northern Ireland 238 215 253 213 240 
			 North East 357 355 356 382 331 
			 Scotland 1,131 1,145 1,100 1,074 1,001 
			 South East 3,106 2,962 2,892 2,777 2,810 
			 South West 1,764 1,719 1,582 1,644 1,639 
			 Wales 652 765 705 682 550 
			 West Midlands 1,219 1,188 1,041 1,049 1,057 
			 Yorkshire 1,301 1,232 1,280 1,246 1,144 
		
	
	
		
			 Postcode not given/incomplete address 254 425 245 215 192 
			 Total 17,484 17375 16,523 15,985 15,490 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) Number of UK national patents granted by region 2006 to 2010 
			 Region 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 East Midlands 128 96 109 114 111 
			 East of England 371 284 272 302 288 
			 London 524 316 361 292 382 
			 North West 254 187 167 192 201 
			 Northern Ireland 13 11 10 11 7 
			 North East 82 33 32 37 41 
			 Scotland 138 130 117 127 169 
			 South East 607 428 411 421 472 
			 South West 344 207 212 209 244 
			 Wales 88 62 60 67 66 
			 West Midlands 234 149 159 167 163 
			 Yorkshire 150 125 132 146 141 
			 Postcode not given/incomplete address 45 30 28 33 38 
			 Total 2,978 2,058 2,070 2,118 2,323

Postal Services

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on making Government services available at post offices.

Edward Davey: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement entitled “Post Office Network”, published on 24 January 2012, Official Report, column 8WS.

Unfair Dismissal: Compensation

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the timetable is for his Department's consultation on compensated no-fault dismissals for small businesses.

Edward Davey: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced in November that Government would seek evidence on the idea of introducing compensated no-fault dismissal for micro firms (i.e. firms which employ fewer than 10 staff). My officials are currently seeking views on progressing this and we will publish a formal call for evidence in due course. Decisions on whether to consult further will not be taken until the ensuing evidence has been fully assessed.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Health and Welfare Board for England

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the meeting note of 8 November 2011, for the Animal Health and Welfare Board (AWHB), whether the AWHB's plans to co-opt additional members are standard practice for recruitment procedure; and if she will assess the transparency and fairness of this method of recruitment for public bodies.

James Paice: The board's terms of reference set out that the appointment of the Chair and other non-executive members will be conducted in an open and transparent manner.
	The board is applying a similar process for appointing co-opted non-executive members to that for appointing the original non-executive members. The process is rigorous and follows the key principles set out in the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' (OCPA) Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications Natural England is considering for the designation of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and for which areas such applications have been made.

Richard Benyon: It is ordinarily for Natural England (NE) to make an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designation which, in the light of public consultation and, where appropriate, following a public inquiry, must be confirmed by the Secretary of State before they come into operation.
	I understand that a number of suggestions (there is no mechanism for “applications” as such) have been made to NE for new AONBs, or extensions of existing ones. The following table lists the suggestions NE has received.
	Case name
	Blackdown Hills AONB (extension)
	Breckland (new AONB)
	Cannock Chase AONB (extension)
	Charnwood (new AONB)
	Chilterns AONB 1 (retraction)
	Chilterns AONB 2 (extension)
	Chilterns AONB 3 (extension)
	Churnet Valley (new AONB)
	Cornwall AONB (extension)
	Cotswolds AONB (extension)
	Cotswolds AONB 2 (extension)
	Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB (extension)
	Dedham Vale AONB (extension)
	Dorset AONB (extension)
	Dorset AONB 2 (extension)
	East Devon AONB (extension)
	Forest of Dean (new AONB)
	Herefordshire Black Mountains (new AONB)
	Lincolnshire (new AONB)
	Lincolnshire Wolds AONB (extension)
	Malvern Hills AONB (extension)
	Mendip Hills AONB (extension)
	New Devon AONB (extension)
	Norfolk Coast AONB (extension)
	Norfolk Coast AONB 2 (extension)
	North Devon AONB (extension)
	North Kent Downs AONB (extension)
	North Kent Downs AONB 2 (extension)
	North Kent Downs AONB 3 (extension)
	North Wessex Downs AONB (extension)
	Northumberland Coast AONB (extension)
	Otmoor (new AONB)
	Rutland (new AONB)
	Solway Coast AONB (extension)
	Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB (extension)
	Surrey Hills AONB (extension)
	Kent Greensands (new AONB)
	Yorkshire Wolds (new AONB).

Christmas

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on (a) Christmas trees and (b) other Christmas decorations in 2011; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: In 2011, £2,011 was spent on Christmas trees (including decorations) for buildings occupied by core-DEFRA.

Common Land

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the total amount of common land in England (a) in hectares and (b) as a proportion of the total land mass; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: There are 399,040 hectares of common land in England, which equates to approximately three percent of the total land area. This figure includes the New Forest, Epping Forest and certain other commons exempted from registration under the Commons Registration Act 1965. These exempted areas account for 25,470 hectares of common land.

Departmental Drinks

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent on (a) wine, (b) other alcoholic refreshments and (c) bottled water since May 2010.

Richard Benyon: The Department does not keep a central record which will identify this information and cannot therefore provide an accurate figure without incurring disproportionate costs.
	All expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in her Department engaged in delivering (a) front line and (b) corporate or back office services; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Core-DEFRA employs a variety of staff working in a wide range of areas, including policy development, analysis, research and support functions. We have not carried out a detailed analysis according to the categories in the question.

EU Law

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the regulations her Department brought into force through (a) primary legislation, (b) secondary legislation and (c) other means originated from proposals by the European Commission in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011.

Richard Benyon: The number of regulations brought into force by the DEFRA through (a) primary legislation, (b) secondary legislation and (c) other means which either fully or in part originated from proposals by the European Commission in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2010 2011 
			 (a) Primary legislation 0 0 
			 (b) Secondary legislation 45 38 
			 (c) Other means 0 0

EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which EU (a) directives, (b) regulations and (c) other legislation affecting her Department require transposition into UK law; and what estimate she has made of the cost to (i) the public purse and (ii) the private sector of such measures.

Richard Benyon: EU directives affecting DEFRA and requiring transposition into UK law are as follows:
	2009/128/EC: Establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides
	2010/60/EU: Providing for certain derogations for marketing of fodder plant seed mixtures intended for use in the preservation of the natural environment
	2009/126/EC: On Stage II petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations
	2010/79/EC: On the adaptation to technical progress of Annex III to Directive 22004/42/EC on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds
	2010/75/EC: On industrial emission (integrated pollution prevention and control)
	2011/97/EC: As regards specific waste criteria for the storage of metallic mercury considered as waste.
	For these directives, DEFRA will need to develop policy options for implementation and then consult on them before costs can be fully determined. Once a decision on the policy option is made, final impact assessments detailing both costs and benefits will be made public and placed in the Government's online impact assessment library:
	http://www.ialibrary.bis.gov.uk/
	EU regulations are legally binding and directly applicable in all member states and therefore do not require transposition into domestic law.
	DEFRA recently conducted a review of all of its existing legislation, including that which is derived from the EU, and has published an initial report on the costs and benefits of its regulatory stock:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/08/16/pb13623-defra-regulatory-stock
	We will be doing further work to refine and update the document.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether her Department holds information on the EU regulations in its policy areas of responsibility which have not been implemented in (a) France and (b) Germany; on which dates those regulations became EU law; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  which EU regulations her Department has not implemented; on what date the regulations became EU law; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Information on the implementation of EU legislation by all EU member states is compiled by the European Commission, as part of its role as guardian of the EU Treaties. The Commission's most recent annual report on national implementation of EU law is publicly available at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/eu_law/infringements/infringements_annual_report_28_en.htm

Fisheries: ICT

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on whether there should be a global requirement for vessel monitoring system satellite tracking devices to be fitted to all fishing vessels.

Richard Benyon: Vessel monitoring systems provide a reliable means of verifying the accuracy of reports submitted by fishermen of their fishing operations and make a significant contribution towards the prevention of illegal fishing activity. I have supported EU control measures that have extended the requirement for all EU fishing vessels over 12 metres to have working satellite tracking devices on board wherever in the world they operate. The United Kingdom has also supported the adoption and operation of such measures by regional fisheries management organisations and third countries as a valuable means of monitoring fishing activity.
	The value of using satellite based technology on smaller, inshore vessels is less clear and presents different technical challenges. The Marine Management Organisation has therefore been engaged in trials of alternative, non-satellite based technology for such vessels.

Furs: Origin Labelling

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the introduction of country of origin labelling so that consumers can make fully-informed choices on the purchase of products made from fur.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Ministers have had no discussions with EU counterparts on the introduction of country of origin labelling on products made from fur.

Health

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition her Department uses of well-being in society.

Richard Benyon: Well-being is central to the Government's vision for mainstreaming Sustainable Development in Government that was published in February 2011.
	The Office for National Statistics programme on measuring national well-being recently initiated a debate on national well-being and how it should be measured. The findings from the debate, which are now being used to consult on proposed domains and headline indicators of national well-being, are available on the ONS website.

Hunting: Sports

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government classifies hunting with hounds as a field sport.

James Paice: The Government have no responsibility for deciding whether or not particular activities are classified as field sports.

Otters

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the (a) size and (b) location of the wild otter population in England in the last 20 years; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: It is currently not possible to estimate otter abundance from the quantity and distribution of otter signs and sightings. Research investigating the possibility of assessing numbers of otters from DNA or chemical analysis of spraint (otter faeces) is ongoing.
	Three national otter surveys have been carried out in England in the last 20 years—in 1991-94, 2000-02 and 2009-10. Direct comparison of the 2,940 sites used in all three of these surveys reveals that the number of sites showing signs of otters has increased from 23.4% in 1991-94, to 36.3% in 2000-02, and again to 58.8% in 2009-10. Since the publication of the last report otter signs in Kent have confirmed that the species is now present throughout England.

Reed Beds

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many hectares of reedbed in National Nature Reserves are managed on a sustainable basis to produce reed for thatching and panel fencing;
	(2)  how many hectares of reedbed in National Nature Reserves are managed by long-term rotational cutting and burning.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA and its agencies do not hold information centrally for all National Nature Reserves (NNRs). For those NNRs in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, reserve managers have estimated that approximately 78 hectares of reed bed are cut commercially with the reeds used for thatching, reed screens and specialist paper making. They also estimate approximately 115 hectares of these NNRs are managed by long term rotational cutting.

Soil: Conservation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the farming industry on soil protection regulations; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: In June 2010, the Government commissioned Richard Macdonald to conduct a review of farming regulation, partly in response to representation from the industry on this issue. The review, published in May 2011, was undertaken with extensive consultation with industry and other interested parties and included a number of recommendations relating to the Soil Protection Review 2010. In its interim response, published in November 2011, the Government set out their intentions to work with industry to review the Soil Protection Review with the aim of putting in place revised arrangements when the current arrangements end in 2013. A full response to the taskforce recommendations will be published shortly.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding her Department provided to (a) The Art Room, (b) the National Portrait Gallery, (c) Mountain Rescue England, (d) the English Schools Swimming Association, (e) the Scout Association and (f) Missing Links UK in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: In the financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12 to date, core-DEFRA has not funded any of the organisations listed.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to measure progress on the implementation of policies supporting the Big Society initiative; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's business plan sets out clear priorities for the Department including what we are putting in place to support the growth of Big Society. We continue to report publicly on progress against these priorities at:
	http://transparency.number10.gov.uk/transparency/srp/
	Within DEFRA this includes reporting progress on initiatives such as the Big Tree Plant and the new Waterways Charity Project.

Trees: Planning Permission

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to use the revised National Planning Policy Framework to promote tree planting;
	(2)  whether it is her policy to seek increased protection for ancient woods and trees in the final version of the National Planning Policy Framework.

James Paice: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is still considering consultation responses and these, and other issues, will be taken into account as the National Planning Policy Framework is finalised. I understand that DCLG will publish the final version of the National Planning Policy Framework by the end of March this year.
	The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has asked the Independent Panel on Forestry for advice on ancient woodlands and on an appropriate level of woodland cover in England. The Government look forward to the submission of the panel's final report this spring.

Waste Disposal

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the Office of Fair Trading's market study on organic waste;
	(2)  whether her Department plans to respond to the Office of Fair Trading's market study on market waste.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is carefully considering the Office of Fair Trading's market study on organic waste and is currently discussing its recommendations with OFWAT. We will take into account the report's findings as part of ongoing work to clarify the relevant environmental and economic regulatory frameworks that apply to the organic waste sector, and in developing robust quality standards for the end use of organic wastes.

Waste Disposal

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on his Department's fund for supporting weekly waste collection.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), meets regularly to discuss matters of Government policy with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), including matters on waste policy including weekly waste collection.

Waste Disposal: Food

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department gives local authorities on the treatment and disposal of food waste.

Richard Benyon: The Government encourage local authorities to manage their food waste sustainably and, through the waste and resources action programme, provides technical support on treatment options. However, decisions on the treatment and disposal of food waste are for local authorities to make, taking into account local circumstances including local logistics, the characteristics of the area, and the service that residents want.

Written Questions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many ordinary written questions tabled to her Department by hon. Members since May 2010 have not received a reply within (a) one and (b) two months; and what the subject matter was of each such question.

Richard Benyon: Between May 2010 and 20 December 2011 core-DEFRA received 3,342 parliamentary questions for ordinary written answer, of which (a) 161 had not received a reply with one month and (b) a further 30 had not received a reply within two months.
	A breakdown by subject is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Subject (a) Reply received after one month (b) Reply received after two months 
			 Finance and Procurement 53 10 
			 HR and Staff issues 22 8 
			 Animal Health and Welfare 21 2 
			 Rural, Farming and Wildlife Issues 30 6 
			 Other 35 4 
			 Total 161 30